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I can't even begin to imagine just exactly how many photos we took for the book. Angela was and is such an amazing photographer to work with. I was always verbalizing the h--- out of every shoot we did, what I was hoping for, how I thought we should do it, the cropping I was envisioning, and she was always just like: okay . And I was always like: is she listening? The fact is, she completely did not need direction, instinctually did everything right, and I hugged her every time I felt like it which was often. Poor girl. Point being, there are so many funny, sweet, beautiful, perfect photos that never got a chance to be in the book. There always are. Either the cropping won't work out for the page size or the project isn't shown from a view that conveys the construction well enough or there just isn't enough room in the book or the baby is just too stinking cute and it would make everyone pass out. Or it could be the photo of me above that really just shouldn...

I finally get to say my new book is here!!! I am so, so happy with this sentence, you have no idea. The above photo was taken just about 2 weeks after Roman was born. I was unbelievably tired that day, barely able to keep up with the photo shoot that went on for a few hours all around our yard with all the kids going in all directions, and the new one, both of us actually still so fragile. Days later I found the smallest of moments to sit and gaze upon the photos we got. And this one. I cried. I couldn't take it. All those little souls still entranced in the newness of their little brother. Either that or I was threatening them from behind the lens....erhh both. Anyway, its nice to sit back and enjoy the book now too. To celebrate today, I wanted to not write another book about my book but to share the introduction with you. Then, of course I'll be sharing a lot more soon. The book is now shipping from my studio , amazon , and all other points around the globe! F...

Dearest Roman, I just needed to say thank you for putting up with your mother, her work, the strangers you encounter on a near daily basis in our home, the wild children who can barely pick you up but who do so anyway, the noise, the lack of regular nap schedules, and the Caramel Macchiato Biscotti that you had for breakfast this morning. Yes I know it contains instant coffee, but you really liked it a ton. Its my nutritionally misguided way of saying thank you for all you take on with me on a daily basis. The worst you did during the Country Living shoot was tug on the photographer's beard when he picked you up (which I'm pretty sure he loved). You didn't fuss when Joyce from Westminster held you as I poured my 3rd cup of coffee during our meeting. You completely went along with being nursed (hushed) 6 times in 2 hours during a flurry of business phone calls last week. Which in my mind compensates for the Caramel Macchiato Biscotti you had for breakfast this mornin...

I have had a large bag of vintage patchwork blocks that I purchased for about 15$ a few years ago . They haven't all turned into something immediately like I thought they would when I bought them. I am sure you are familiar with this type of thing. Many, many of them are Dresden Plate blocks, but a handful are a collection of oddballs of various sizes, techniques and prints. Here are some of the misfits patched together and covering some extra chairs in the dining room that we pull to the table when the room gets extra crowded (its always a little crowded). And I adore them. These chairs were close to getting a layer of paint. But I resisted, reminding myself how important a natural stain of wood can be to a room. I am good at forgetting this. Needing to paint something, I painted the walls instead. Cream. I decided at Thanksgiving that my dining room walls needed to be cream and I am still adjusting. I always liked that blue, but somehow it felt too much like a bedroo...

I had to get a manicure this week because Country Living was here yesterday doing a little feature of me in the studio (look for it in the July/Aug. issue this summer). They were not, in fact, taking pictures of my feet, but I feel off balance if I don't also get a pedicure. So to hit the tax write-off all the way out of the park, and in honor of taxday, I felt it best to take a business-related photo of my toes. There. Now you have to go look at my new collection of rugs and pillows that we have in the shop, to make this completely valid. Thank you. Next write-off: flowers for the photo shoot, natch. It's a pain to have them around, but, you know when you are in business for yourself there are certain circumstances that you have to be willing to suffer through. Luckily, I am strong. Back to the rugs and pillows and how this post is all about my design business. I am very happy with this new small collection of embroidered velvet pillows, mostly because I think they wo...

I held her off for a full seven months, but recently I started agreeing with her. It was time for a cut. I still cringed with every snip I made. I do know now that, yes, she can look even more bubbly. But now somehow she looks clever too. Which she is. So I guess its the right cut. Sigh. Gulp. Sniff. xoxo,AM

The Easter Dresses. Repurposed from this . The skirt is the same process as the Evening Empire Dress Pattern, which is really the same process as the quilts too. For the bodices I just generally made rectangles to fit each of the girls. Eleni's (top) gathers up with the skirt by way of two elastic channels. Isabela's has a triangular detail in front and only gathers up with elastic in back. And has crisscross straps. A requested feature. I don't think I have to tell you that I am smitten with spring, sewing, zigzag patchwork or little girls. But I have to tell you ( must ) that I am blown over by how gorgeous the outside is currently. Not popping bulbs or planted flowers or tended gardens actually- but the amazing landscape that is the green grass right now. It looks like a raucous party of dandelions, clover, violets, and all sorts of other uninvited guests. Parties are always best when crashed. Smitten I tell you! Which reminds me, I'm not sure the littl...

I am following up on The Stitch that I posted last week to answer some of your questions taken directly out of the comments section. While I was trying as hard as I could to just offer my input on the actual stitch, I realize that there are always other questions that this leads too, and I'm hoping to help out with some of those here! I want to stress - this is only my way of making hand quilting stitches. This is why I am calling it Anna Answers. I am not an expert. I am self-taught. I am sucker for embroidery. I am busy. I like to do things efficiently. Even if that means that occasionally I don't do them traditionally. I like to do things that make me happy. I do not like to do things that make me annoyed. I love to hear how other people do the same things. Always. I do not assume that the way I do things negates the validity of doing it some other way. I also like being told I am wrong. I thrive on it, in fact. I want to be better at everything that I do. ...

It's a bi-annual scheme of sorts. Putting together a Quilt Market booth that is. And next month is no different (yikes, next month!??) This Spring , my booth display scheme is in need of a little local love- if you live in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, St.Paul) area of Minnesota and are the owner of a modern styled, straight-line, high-arm couch and would like a fabulous one-of-a-kind patchwork slip-cover made for it give me a HOLLER. Email your couch photos to amATannamariahornerDOTcom. It won't cost you a thing, but just the trouble of getting the couch to me at the Minneapolis Convention Center for the duration of the show then picking it up afterward. I do tend to be overly friendly and very huggy-kissy, so if you consider enduring that as an expense of sorts, well then, it'll be very expensive. We will, of course, offer more details in replying to your email- so what are you waiting for!? Coming up later this week: An answer session for those of you who ask...